Spring Flowers for Easter

Hi-ya Peeps,

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. 

I have a couple of cards to share today. They have the same basic design, but have different sentiments and one has an extra image. The focal images are inspired by Claire's theme for this week's Paper Players Challenge, which is Spring Flowers. I know there are many flowers that bloom in early spring and then are done for the year, and the two that I think about most are daffodils and tulips. I went with Daffodils for my cards.

The main image of Daffodils is a Spellbinders Glimmer plate and I've hot foiled it with mat gold foil and colored the images with Copics. This is a very large image and I didn't want to cut it so these are both 5 x 7 inch cards.

On the card above, I've added a stitched butterfly. The stitching plate/embroidery hoop is a die from Lawn Fawn. There are several in the line, but there is also a "blank" that just cuts the circle with holes. Lawn Fawn has several patterns on their website on how to stitch many different images and I used a newer one, this butterfly. To make it easy to know where to stitch the different colors, I used colored pencils to color each square in the appropriate color, then did the stitching. So easy this way!

The sentiment on this card comes with the hot foil plate and it's foiled with the same mat gold foil.

For the second card, I used a sentiment from a Gina K Designs set, stamped it in black ink on vellum and then used clear embossing powder to emboss it. I cut it out with a die from the Gina K Designs Master Layouts 18 die set and glued it to a strip of Lemon Yellow card stock to match the card base.

The insides of both cards are the same images, but one says Happy Spring and one says Happy Easter. The daffodil image is from Gina K and the bunny and sentiments are from Concord & 9th.

I really like how both of these cards turned out. I loved coloring these up, and I love how bright and cheery they are. 

Have a great Monday evening,

Colleen

Supplies

Hot Foil set: Daffodil Spray Feb 2024 Glimmer of the month by Spellbinders

Stamps: Easter Blessings set by Gina K Designs and Some Bunny set by Concord & 9th

Paper: Gina K Designs Heavy White, Black Onyx, Ocean Mist,  and Lemon Yellow, Vellum

Ink: Gina K Designs Black Onyx, Lemon Yellow, Soft Stone. Copic Markers

Other: Spellbinders Glimmer hot foil, Glimmer System, Lawn Fawn Embroidery Hoop dies, Embroidery thread, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 8 and 18 dies, foam tape, Connect liquid glue

Sending A Fluttering Hello

 Hi and Happy Weekend!

It's Anything Goes Stencil Week at Just Us Girls, one of my favorite challenges. Since I had not used the new Spellbinders Stencil of the Month for January, I took the opportunity to use it for my challenge card. To help with color selection for these pretty flowers, I've used the colors for the current Color Throwdown, pink, blue and yellow.

These pretty hummers are Spellbinders Betterpress plates that I've hot foiled with my Glimmer System. 

The sentiment is from the same Betterpress set and it's hot foiled as well with black foil. I tried to get a picture with the shine and this is the best I could do with my phone.

The black scalloped oval is a die from the January Stitching Die of the Month set. It is the perfect size for the large space in the center of the stenciling and I liked the tiny scallops. The enamel flower embellishments are from my stash. I think I picked them up in a scrapbooking store in Sacramento years ago.

For the inside of the card, I used the stencils again, but just in the corner. No sentiment, I'll just leave it as a note card.

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stencils: Natures Frame, Spellbinders 1/25 Stencil of the Month

Betterpress: Flutter Into Spring and Fluttering Hummingbird sets, Spellbinders Betterpress of the Month 2/24

Paper: Gina K Designs

Ink: Gina K Designs

Other: Oval Die from Spellbinders Stitched Ladybug set 1/25, GKD blending brushes, enamel flower embellishments, Connect liquid glue, SU Dimensionals

Sending Best Wishes

TGIF Peeps,

I'm hoping that you all have a great Friday. 

When I had my Glimmer system out the other day, I hot foiled several plates from my Spellbinders Glimmer of the Month collection. Today's card is one of those and I used Elizabeth's Paper Players Challenge colors again with it.

This Glimmer plate comes with a layering stencil to color the image, if so desired, and I used the stencils with shades of red for the flower. There is no die to cut it out but it was super easy to fussy cut. The background is ink blended with some bright yellow and blue SSS Pawsitively Saturated inks. I added some ink splattering with white ink and added a few black enamel dots for embellishments.

The sentiment is also part of the Glimmer set. The flower is foiled with red foil and the sentiment with navy.

 

On the inside I continued the sentiment and added another lotus flower image. Both of these are from Gina K Designs.

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Lovely Lotus and Thoughtful Flowers sets by Gina K Designs (inside images)

Paper: Gina K Designs Layering Weight white and Cherry Red card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs Red Hot and Cherry Red and SSS Pawisitvely Saturated yellows and blues

Other: Tropical Bloom, Spellbinders Glimmer of the Month Set May 24, Glimmer Hot Foiling System, Red and Navy foil, Dr PhMartins white paint, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 2 dies and black enamel dots, SU mini Dimensionals

Hello

 Hi again peeps,

I realized that I had not posted my card for this week's Just Us Girls color challenge and it ends in about two hours, or less. I hadn't even taken pictures yet. Anyhoo- I got the pictures taken and edited, so here it is.

This is another Glimmer hot foil plate. This one is called Glimmer Leaf Panel and it was the Glimmer of the month for April 2023. Following the color palette, I foiled the plate twice, once with gold foil and once with navy blue foil. Using the coloring stencil that comes with the set, I colored the leaves with shades of gold and blue.

Next I cut some small postage stamp rectangles and arranged those on the card front. The smaller sentiment is part of the Glimmer set, the Hello is a foiling plate from PinkFresh Studio. I added some additional sparkle with some copper gems.

I have many family and friends with birthdays starting the first of October and going through the end of December. It's the busiest birthday months of the year for me and so I made this into a birthday card with the inside sentiment.

Thanks for popping in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Thoughtful Flowers Stamp set by Gina K Designs  (inside)

Glimmer Leaf Panel Spellbinders Glimmer plate set

Paper: Concord & 9th card stock

Ink: Concord & 9th

Other: Pink Fresh Studio Hello foiling plate, Gina K Designs postage stamp die, Spellbinders Glimmer System, Copper and navy hot foil, Trinity copper gems, Connect glue, narrow strip foam tape

Happy Birthday

Hello to all and Happy Hump Day!

This week's Paper Players challenge is the monthly color challenge, hostessed by Elizabeth this month. She has chosen primary colors for this week. Now I know these colors are perfect for those back to school/teacher cards, but I'm way past needing those so I went the floral route.

My card today is made with a very large sunflower image that is a Glimmer system hot foil plate from Spellbinders. It's foiled with dark blue foil and colored with Copics. The set comes with a die that cuts the top and sides of the image and I've used it to cut the card base so this card front is shaped.

I took a pic to show it open. Please forgive the grill in the background. I took the pic in our courtyard as I wanted the light. (I was too lazy to setup my lightbox, LOL)

This was a super fun card to make. I foiled a few more panels in different foils while I had the Glimmer system setup so I could make some more cards. 

I also foiled a few more plates and finished another card that will work for Elizabeth's challenge, which I'll post in a few days.

Enjoy your Wednesday!

Colleen

Supplies

Sunflower Border Spellbinders Glimmer Hot Foil Plate of the Month for 9/24

Sentiment die from Spellbinders Pocket Full of Spirit Stitching Die set 2/24

Paper: Gina K Designs Heavy Weight White, Cherry Red, and Powder Blue card stock

Ink: Copic Marker

Other: Spellbinders Glimmer System, Navy Blue foil, SU yellow enamel dots, Connect glue, SU Dimensionals

Hot Foiling Fun

 Happy 2023!

Today I have several cards that I made (finally) using images and panels that I hot foiled over the past month. When I pull out my hot foiling machine, I end up making a bunch of things. I get caught up in the reveal of the foiling. It's just plain adicting!

This is a batch of cards using mostly Pink Fresh Studio stamps, dies, cover plates, hot foiling plates, and stencils.  

On this first card, I hot foiled the flowers and colored them using the coordinating stencil set and blending brushed. I then cut masks for the flowers and leaves and used the Layering Sunburst stencils for the background. The foiled areas resist the ink blended over it.

On the last three cards, I used the coordinating dies to cut out the flowers.

These are not for the crafter that likes to make quick cards, but man, are they fun to make. I love all of the details and the steps to put them together. Plus, picking all of the colors. So fun!

Have a great New Years 2023 Holiday. For many, it's back to work tomorrow. Luckily, that's not me. Retirement is the best! Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Go For It and Pop Out Hexagon sets by Pink Fresh Studio

Paper: Gina K Designs card stocks

Ink: Gina K Designs and Stampin' Up

Other: Pink Fresh Studio Go For It, Best Wishes, Fancy Script Words,  & Geo Blocks Hot Foil Plates, Coordinating Go For It dies, Essentials Ornate Circle die, Folk Edge Rectangle dies, Dotted Scallops & Ornate Medallions cover plate dies, Go For It and Geo Blocks layering stencils, and Layered Sunburst stencils. Stampin' Up Stylish Shapes dies, Simon Says Stamp Nested Domed Arches dies, Waffleflower Sentiments Hello Hot Foil plates, Gina K Designs Master Layouts 1 & 2 die sets, Avery Elle Scalloped rectangle dies, Spellbinders Glimmer machine, Spellbinders hot foil, Gina K Designs blending brushes and Masking Magic sheets, Big Shot, Connect Glue, foam tape

Peace - Love - Joy

 Hi and TGIF to all,

If you're reading this Friday morning, I'm currently on the road driving most of the length of California to spend Thanksgiving week with my mom and my bestie. It's become a tradition over the last 4 years. We talk, play a lot of cards. A LOT! and eat good food. It's a 645 mile trip for me, so it takes pretty much all day. I'm planning on leaving my house here in Encinitas (San Diego) by 6:00 am in order to get through Los Angeles before the morning commute traffic gets horrible.

I have my card for Jaydee's color challenge for this week's Paper Players challenge. I may have gone overboard, but I was having so much fun with foiling. These cards all have foiling, but instead of using my Spellbinders Glimmer hot foil system, I used Deco foil, Deco paste, toner paper and a laminator machine. I ended up with four very shinny cards to add to my Holiday card stash. 

These first two use Gina K Designs stencils, dies, embossing folder, and sentiments. The card on the left started by ink blending three blue shades of Distress Oxide inks on a white panel. Following this inking technique by Jennifer McGuire I brushed some Pearl Ex Silver powder over the inked panel to give it a shimmery effect. Once the ink was dry, I used the Gina K Designs Snowflake embossing folder on it. Next I die cut the GKD Triple Snowflake dies from toner paper and used some silver Deco foil and a laminator to hot foil them. The toner paper is from Brutus Monroe and has a "hashtag" finish, so there are foiled and then white spaces on the snowflakes. It's pretty IRL. The sentiment is heat embossed with silver embossing powder on black card stock and I added some turquoise sequins for even more sparkle.

For the card on the right, I used the new GKD Graceful Snowflake stencil with Deco Blanco paste on black heavy weight card stock, and once dried, it was foiled with silver Deco foil using the laminator. I cut it down with the GKD ML 2 dies and added some silver pearls as embellishments.

Cards three and four use the Simon Says Stamp Rustic Snowflake stencil and Blanco Deco paste, one with white card stock and one with black card stock. On the white panel, I ink blended six shades of Distress Oxide blue inks over each star point. The card base is stamped with four of the same inks using the Concord & 9th Snowflake Turnabout stamp. The sentiment is heat embossed with black embossing powder on vellum.

For the snowflake on the black card stock, I did a similar color scheme but using foil instead of ink, although there are two shades of blue foil and silver foil. The greeting on this card is from a new Simon Says Stamp Holiday greeting and die set. It's heat embossed with white powder on turquoise card stock.

I decided I'd use this card for my PP Challenge entry.

Enjoy your Friday and weekend, and thanks for lookin in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Gina K Designs, Simon Says Stamp, Concord  & 9th

Card Stock: Gina K Designs

Ink: Gina K Designs Black Onyx and Embossing Ink

Other: Gina K Designs and Simon Says Stamp stencils, Gina K Designs dies, Deco Foil, Deco paste, Laminator machine, Gina K Designs embossing powder, WOW embossing powder, Deco foil, Brutus Munroe toner sheets, Gina K Designs sequins, Trinity silver pearls, Connect glue, heat tool, Misti, Big Shot Switch 

OCC Holiday Workshop 2022 Day 8 Cards

 Hello,

Day eight of the workshop was all about hot foiling. Hot foiling is very addicting to me. It seems when I pull out my Spellbinders Glimmer machine, I just cant stop and end up with many pieces. If you have not tried it, fair warning, but you really should. 

I actually made 20 Holiday cards this year with variations of my four examples in this post. (I really do have a hard time stoping.)

Yana Smakula was the instructor for the Glimmer hot foiling section and she had two tips for us that I absolutely found very helpful. They have to do with foiling the negative foil and oh my gosh, perfect results where before I was getting good foiling only sometimes.

Here are my four card examples. Each pair is made with the positive foiled image and the negative foiled image.

Foiling plates and products from Spellbinders and Pink Fresh Studio. Card stock from Gina K Designs and I used Stampin' Up Glossy white card stock for foiling the negative pieces. Worked perfectly and I have tons of it that I bought years ago. I'm happy to have another use for it. Other background dies and embossing folders from Gina K Designs and Simon Says Stamp. Colored images done with Copic markers.

Thanks all,

Colleen

Cheers to You On Your Birthday

Hello and Happy Friday,

It's a coolish but sunny day here on the Southern California Coast, kind of perfect actually. I probably should be out for a walk, but instead I've been rummaging through my fabric stash looking to see if I have enough fabric to make a quick tree patterned quilt that I found on Pinterest. I'm looking for ideas for a birthday gift. 

I made the birthday card using Jen T.'s sketch for this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge. I pulled out some older SU DSP and a couple of  older Avery Elle stamp sets to make this card.

The background is the Floral Backdrop cover plate from Pink Fresh Studio, and how about those sweet scallop shell embellishments from Trinity? So Cute! I had to use them on the inside of the card too.

The stamped images are colored with Copics. I used some Fruit Punch Stickels glitter over the drink to make it look even more tropical.

I also made a Holiday card using Jen's sketch as inspiration. This die set is from Simon and it's called Berry Wreath. The background is hot foiled with the Waffle Flower Triple Line Diamond plate and the greeting is hot foiled with the Pink Fresh Studio Perfect Sentiments Holiday set. This is a fun die set to play with.

Enjoy your day!

Colleen

Supplies Card 1

Stamps: Aloha and Simply Said Hugs sets by Avery Elle

Paper: SU Basic White, Black & Pumpkin Pie card stock, SU retired DSP

Ink: Memento Tuxedo black and Copics

Other: Avery Elle set dies, Gina K Designs single and double stitched circle dies, Pink Fresh Studio Floral Backdrop cover plate die, Trinity Scallop Shel embellishments, Misti, Big Shot Switch, Connect glue, SU Dimensionals

Supplies Card 2

Berry Wreath Die set by Simon Says Stamp, Triple Line Diamond Hot Foil Plate by Waffle Flower, Perfect Sentiments Holiday Hot Foil set by Pink Fresh Studio

Paper: Gina K Designs Layering Weight White, Black, Jelly Bean Green, Tranquil Teal, Fresh Asparagus, Passionate Pink, Innocent Pink

Other: Spellbinders gold foils, Spellbinders Hot Foil System, Big Shot, Connect glue, SU Dimensionals

Happy Birthday

 Hello to all,

I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday yesterday. Our good friends hosted a birthday party for Mr. Personal Chef at their house. It was just their family and us with some good food and good wine. Plus, it was an afternoon party, and we were home by 6:00 pm. Today, I had lunch with a former co-worker and his wife. They are both retired too, so we had an extended lunch to catch up. I worked with him for all of my 30 year career, and it was great to catch-up with them.

Because it was an early party yesterday, I was able to start on a card for this week's Paper Players Challenge, and I finished it this afternoon.  Ann has a fun Tac-tac-toe challenge for us this week. I went with the diagonal of floral, birthday, circle.

The background, focal image outline and sentiment are all hot foiled. I have the Gemini hot foil system and it's very easy to use, however, since I don't pull it out often, I sometimes have to do a couple of tries before I get a good foil. But, it's still pretty fun and somewhat addicting, LOL.

The focal image is a Pink Fresh Studio set that has the hot foil plate, die and layering stencils. The daisy image comes as a wreath, but I cut it apart and used the circle as a grounding point. Because the foiling is bright and shiny, I decided to use pastel shades of ink with the stencil.

I used one of the flowers of the layering stencils on the inside and paired it with a Gina K Designs stamp for the sentiment.

On Friday morning I'm driving up to Northern California to spend most of June with my mom so tomorrow I will start deciding what crafting supplies I'm going to take with me. I usually end up filling my car with stamps, dies and all of the other things needed to make cards. My mom always rolls her eyes as I'm unpacking everything.

Thanks for checking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Fancy Flowers Mini set by Gina K Designs (inside sentiment)

Hot Foiling supplies: Daisy Wreath by PinkFresh Studio, Yana's Sentiments by Spellbinders, Triple Line Diamond Foil Plate by Waffleflower, Spellbinders Glimmer Copper colored Foil, Gemini Hot Foil System,

Stencils: Daisy Wreath Layering Stencils by PinkFresh Studio

Card stock: Gina K Designs Layering weight white, Black Onyx and Innocent Pink

Ink: Gina K Designs Innocent Pink, Dusty Rose, Applement, Lemon Drip, Black Onyx

Other: Gina K Designs Master Layouts 1 & 2 die sets, Gina K Designs double and single stitched circle dies, Gemini Jr, Pretty Pink Posh pink gems, Connect liquid glue, blending brushes